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Book Reviews

The Amberella Tales

Amberella and Double Double Trouble

Four rascally pups learn about life, and kids learn some French, in this humorous tale full of mischief and adventure.

A delightful adventure, The Amberella Tales: Amberella and Double Double Trouble is the second book in this growing series by Rosemarie Kaupp. This fun and lighthearted story will make dog-loving children squeal with laughter while teaching them the importance of respect and obedience, and even a bit of French.

After their wedding, a lavish affair attended by both dogs and humans, Amberella and her groom, Prince, soon find themselves the proud parents of four energetic pups. Reese, Reed, Hoover, and Scout—dogs with varying personalities—enter into a world that must be explored, but they find that doing so can sometimes have its consequences. From obedience school to Paris, from dognapping to crime solving, it won’t take long before the pups learn a few valuable lessons.

This rollicking tale includes some unique and lively characters, such as Grand-mère, Amberella’s owner who has a very special ability; Zozue and Tutsu, Amberella’s French-poodle sisters; Madame Hortensia, ex-poodle governess and obedience instructor; a naughty cat named Spike; and a whole host of other friends and family members, as well as some shifty characters.

Simply but adorably detailed illustrations by Marvin Alonso add to the endearing quality of the tale. The youthful font along with the drawings of dogs will no doubt entice children to want to read the story, but the French words will likely require an older person’s help. Fortunately, a French word list is provided in the beginning of this wonderful book. Beside each French word is its pronunciation and an English translation—a tool to help a child learn basic French.

Kaupp’s experience with children, particularly as a school nurse, served her well in her crafting of The Amberella Tales. She understands what grabs children’s interest, what makes them laugh, and what lessons they are capable of learning. Characters are both adorable and charming, but even more importantly, they are relatable. Young people and adults will connect with the child-parent relationship portrayed here, and children will better understand their need to experiment with and test the world around them. Kaupp also enhances her young readers’ experience of the story by incorporating familiar technology like television and Skype into the narrative. After all, the pups have to stay in touch.

Inspired by her own dog, Amber, Kaupp has written a fun, lesson-filled book that will have readers scampering for more of The Amberella Tales.

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have his/her book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Review make no guarantee that the author will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.